


Watch Over You

by meridian_rose (meridianrose)



Category: Da Vinci's Demons
Genre: Comfort, Comment Fic, Community: gameofcards, Ficlet, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Nightmares, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Season/Series 01, Watching Someone Sleep, prompt: dream
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-03
Updated: 2015-01-03
Packaged: 2018-03-05 03:22:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3103682
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meridianrose/pseuds/meridian_rose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Leonardo is sometimes his own worst enemy. His friends know he needs sleep but they have some difficulty convincing him of the necessity, especially given his frequent nightmares.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Watch Over You

"When was the last time you slept?" Vanessa demanded. Leo glanced over his shoulder at her.

"I don't know. Yesterday. No, the night before. What day is it?"

Zo and Nico were standing strategically behind Vanessa, where it was safe if Leo became angry and Zo said, "Friday."

Leo sighed. "Um, three days ago. Four?"

"You have to sleep," Vanessa said. "You know what happens when you don't."

They all did, which was why after cajoling and begging and attempting to drug his wine (a mistake on Zo's behalf that gave Nico, instead of their intended target, an unexpected nap) Zo had enlisted Vanessa's help. Andrea might have talked sense into him, but he was away visiting an old friend and this couldn't wait any longer.

Leo was a genius with boundless energy. The problem was that he sometimes found himself so wrapped up in his latest project that he forgot to eat or sleep. The longer he neglected his health the more manic he became, and the more mistakes he made, and aside from the immediate hazards this presented, the more he spiralled out of control as he sought to put right his errors. Leo thought he could understand, fix, improve the entire universe. In his more reasonable moments he did not attempt to do all of this at once. In his less sensible moods however he could be moved to dangerous extremes.

"I'm fine. And I don't want to sleep." Leo fiddled with the device he was working on, swore, threw a chunk of metal across the room.

"Leo." Vanessa had her hands on her hips, a determined look on her face.

He swallowed, and protested, eyes sorrowful, "But I'll dream."

He had dreams of brilliance, but also terrifying nightmares, sometimes night terrors that left him panicked and more exhausted than before. Again, they all knew this, and knew that the longer he went without rest the worse the night terrors, leading to further reluctance to sleep. Leo could be his own worst enemy.

Vanessa's expression softened. "I'll stay with you," she said.

"We all will," Nico said, stepping forward. "Please, Maestro, you need to sleep."

Zo nodded in agreement. "Just a few minutes," he said. "You'll feel better for it."

Leo hung his head, defeated.

In the finish he slept with his head in Vanessa's lap, her fingers smoothing his hair, while Zo and Nico sipped drinks and talked in low voices as they sat by the fire, glancing over occasionally to make sure Leo was calm. Only once did he moan, fingers flexing, and Nico knelt at his side. "Maestro," he said, shaking Leo's shoulder gently. Leo mumbled something incoherent and was sleeping soundly once more.

He slept for almost twelve hours, not even waking when Zo carefully lifted Leo, allowing Vanessa to slide out from under him, so she could go to work. Zo and Nico stayed close by until Leo finally woke up with a start. He rubbed at his face and got to his feet, reenergised, and raring to go.

"What's for breakfast?"

"Whatever you want," Zo said and Leo beamed at him.

"I had a wonderful dream about melon tart," he said. "Let's go and get some."

**Author's Note:**

> Translation in Russian courtesy of goldkhator: link https://ficbook.net/readfic/6319301


End file.
